South Carolina Colonial Land Policies, adopted in
1730, were found recorded in a book by the same title, written by Robert
K. Ackerman and published by University of South Carolina Press in 1977.
On page 65, at the top of the page, it stated that 50 acres for each
person was the standing policy. The Governor and Counsel did make some
exceptions. This means if a man was married and had one child, he could
receive 150 acres. It was also noted in Mr. Ackerman's book that new
townships were to be established on the Carolina rivers, all to be at
least 60 miles from Charleston.

John Shoemake - It is recorded that John received
a land grant from the King of England on March 11, 1767.. He received
150 acres that was situated on Deep Creek, in Craven County. (See Book
3, B. Page 183 S.C. Archives) This would indicate he was married and
had one child.

Blackley Shoemake - was issued a Royal Land Grant
from the King of England for 200 acres situated near Rocky Creek, in
the Chesterfield County area on February 22, 1771 (See Bk. 3 G. Page
281 S.C. Archives) At the time of the issue the area was in Craven County
near Lynches Creek. This would indicate that he was married and had
2 children. Blackley Shoemake - (The name now appears as Blackley, an
extra "e" has been added, and Shoemake, the "mack"
now being changed to "make"). Blackely is issued 1,000 acres
in the District of Cheraw, county of Chesterfield, on the Great Black
Creek and Great and Little Rattle Snake Branches. The land was bordered
by land owned by John Truberville.

CENSUS ROLL---Mrs.Jenne Waters Strong records in her book
Our Shoemake Roots regarding the 1790 Census of the Cheraws District
(Chesterfield County) South Carolina that Blackley Shoemake was
listed living near his mother, Lucy. His household contained
2 males 16 years and older,
1 male under 16 years, and
5 females.

Samuel Shuemake, Jr (or II) was issued a land grant
for 100 acres situated in Craven County on Thompson Creek. This was
done on January 17, 1772. (This was a Royal Land Grant issued by King
George of England. See book 3, B, page 183 S. C. Archives at Columbia,
S. C.). This would indicate that he was married but had no children
at this time.

Moses Shoemake was issued a State Land Grant from
the State of S.C. in the District of Cheraw on Indian Creek on January
21, 1786 he received 150 acres. (This too is recorded in the Record
Book for State Land Grants at the State Archives in Columbia, S.C. Volume
11 p. 155). This would indicate that he was married and had one child.
Copy of the Land Grant below:

The bottom photo, the upper portion, that is shown above
is the survey of the land described on the Land Grant. It was surveyed
on the 22 day of June, 1784. It is recorded in the Archives, S.C., State
Plats, Volume 3Q, p. 170
______________________________________________________

Samuel Shoemake (The name has now changed as was
Blackley's). He is issued 300 acres of land in Chesterfield County,
S.C., on the waters of Juniper Creek. The grant was made on May 2, 1791.
(This was a state land grant).

Moses Shoemake was issued another parcel of land.
The property was surveyed on March 6, 1793 (Reference - S.C. State Archives,
State Plates, Vol., 31Q, Page 541) in the Cheraw District in Chesterfield
County on the Mountain Prong of Bear Creek. Later records were found
showing that John Edward Shoemake owned land on the Mountain Prong of
Bear Creek. At this time I can not say that this was some of the same
property contained in the Land grant to Moses. However, this John Edward
would have been a great grandson to Moses. Below, in the bottom section,
is a survey the additional land acquired by Moses

On April 10, 1818, Abijah Shoemake is shown living
in Chesterfield County, S.C., but he buys 450 acres of land in Darlington,
a joining county. He bought the land from Phillip Pitman. (See Book
G, page 165B, Darlington County, S.C.). On August 11, 1819, Abijah along
with Mary Jones sign as witnesses on a deed made to a J.W. Godwin. (See
G. P. 346)

John Edward Shoemake, (son of George Washington,
Son of Moses Jr., Son of Moses Sr., son of Samuel Shoemake, Sr., son
of John De La Chaumette of Virginia). I visited John Edward's home place
with a distant cousin Lonnie Shoemake. Lonnie lived near the home place
and the Mountain Prong ran a small distance behind his home. On this
occasion I had the opportunity to see the Mountain Prong of Bear Creek
listed in the survey to Moses, Sr.

*Land records of Darlington County show a William Shoemake,
not married at the time, issuing a deed for 1,500 acres of land in payment
to him for $6,000, to Manuel Maren. This transaction was done on December
30, 1865. I did not find a record where Enoch bought the land, so he
must have inherited it. From whom, I do not know at the time of this
writing.

*On January 21, 1881 when William and Tempy Shoemake
sold 50 acres pf land to George Blackwell, they both signed the
deed with their mark, "X". When William sold the 1,500 acres, he signed
by his "Mark". They could not read or write. This being the case, I
can understand how they could very in giving their ages over a 30 year
period. I have a copy of this deed in hand. (Deed Book A page 172 Chesterfield
County).

Land Records show that Warren Shoemake purchased
126 acres of land in Darlington County from Abel S. Jones (Bk. BB page
477) on January 22, 1870. In 1877 Warren's wife's name appears to be
Mary Walters, for she is listed by that name on a deed that she and
Warren made for the sale of land. However, she signed as Mary J. Shoemake
On February 14, 1880, it is recorded that Mary J. Shoemake bought 245
acres of land from Calvin Rhodes ( Deed Bk. 6, page 405, Darlington
County). On December 7, 1888, a Williams S. Shoemake, Warren's son,
bought 30 acres of land from Mary J. Shoemake, his mother.

NOTE: On July 12, 2000, Horace F. Rudisill, Darlington
County Historian, sent to me a document, a page from a record book,
page 336, Table No. 22-Continued, Darlington County, showing that Warren
Shoemaker (Shoemake) was admitted to a Lunatic Asylum on May 10, 1881.
The order was signed by the Probate Judge. This could explain
why Warren's name no longer appears on any document. I did not find
his name on any future census.

In Deed Book 6, page 524, it is recorded that Mary J.
Shoemake gave to Queeney V. King 40 acres of land on March 1, 1889.
The deed was witnessed by J.W. Derey, and Hugh Walters, (believed to
be Mary's father or brother). Mary J. signed by her mark, (X). All indications
are that William King's land bordered a section of land sold by Calvin
Rhodes on the east, James Keller on the north, and Bob Walters, Warren
Shoemake and John D. Starrell on the west, and J.W. Terry on the south.
The deed made by Calvin Rhodes to Mary J. Shoemake was dated on December
4, 1888.

On December 4, 1888, Mary J. Shoemake made a deed
to William S. Shoemake for 245 acres of land. (Book 12, page 647). Again
Mary signed by her mark, (X).

On November 27, 1894, Mary J. Shoemake sold to
William C. Stokes, one square acre of land in Darlington County, (Book
12, page 647). The deed was witnessed by J.W. Terry and H. G. Walters.
William S. Shoemake, his wife being Winnie, sold to William C. Stokes
30 acres of land on May 9, 1891, (Book 13, page 70).
*These records are all found in the courthouse of Darlington County,
S.C.
*Warren Shoemake . No further record is found of him, except his children
and his wife. As I have already mentioned, Warren was admitted to a
Lunatic Asylum on May 10, 1881. The order was signed by the Probate
Judge. This could explain why Warren's name no longer appears on any
document. I did not find his name on any future census.
*William S. Shoemake, the son of Warren Shoemake, died or was killed.
I have no record, but his estate was exicuted in 1891 by Hugh Walters,
who could have well been his grandfather, and J.E. King. He died in
February of 1891.

Samuel Shoemake, Sr. [I], father of the four Shoemake
boys previously mentioned was the son of John de la Chaumette who left
France about 1685 and went to London, then later on to Martinque, then
Virginia. He first shows up in Stafford County in 1723 when he bought
land from William Allen. On the deed his name appeared as John Dila
Shumate. There is printed material although not in my hands, that
the name John di la Chaumette (Changed when coming to America to Shumate)
had four sons: Antoine, born about 1715; Samuel, born about 1710; Daniel,
born about 1712; and John Jr., born about 1709.

It is reported that Samuel Sr., married Lucy Blackley
(Blackli or Blackwell) in Stafford County in 1730-31. Their children
were John; Blackley; Samuel (II) and Moses.

NOTATION: The following information was taken from
"The Shoemaker Pioneers" written by Benjamine Shoemaker, Jr.
of Philadelphia, Pa. "The early tax list of Goochland County, VA
list, in 1746, Samuel Shewmate; in 1748 Samuel Shumake; in 1749 Samuel
Shoemat." As one can see it is the same person, but the tax recorder
spelled the name different each time. Maybe there was a different recorder
who wrote his name. During the early days of the USA people spelled
a name like it sounded to them. I have had my name spelled "Shuemake,
Schumake, Schumaker, Shoemake, and Shoemaker. However, my father spelled
his name Shuemake. My uncle Charles Edward spelled his name Shoemake.

It is not known why Samuel, Sr., [I] moved to South
Carolina, but just prior to his moving, there was reported a tobacco
tax revolt in Virginia. It is not reported that he was involved in this
revolt, but may have well been. His brother Daniel is said to have moved
to the Greenville, S.C. area about the same time where he raised his
family. John Jr., Samuel, Jr., [II] and Blackley moved to Tennessee.
Therefore, I think it is proper to look at the land grants and other
documents found in Tennessee.

TENNESSEE

Early land grants were issued to individuals who performed
Revolutionary services in North Carolina, including veterans, commisioners,
guards, surveyors and chain carriers who laid off Congressional Reservations
for soldiers' grants and the Cumberland settlers. These grants were
frequently assigned to other persons and not taken up by the original
grantee.

Blackley Shoemake was found in Knox County, Tennessee,
in 1797 to 1808, in that part that became Anderson County in in 1801.
In 1799, a Robert Shoemaker appeared next to Blackley on the
tax lists. A David Shoemaker was on the Anderson County taxlists,
in 1805. (Shoemaker Pioneers by Benjamin H. Shoemaker, page 391).

Blackley, William and Robert Shumake/Shuemake
appear as signers in a 1799 petition of residents of Knox County, Tennessee,
requesting of the General Assembly a division which would make it easier
for them to attended courts and hold elections. Anderson County and
Roane County were formed out of Knox County in 1801. The relationship
of these men according to Mrs.Strong is not known. She does state that
these men and other Shoemake/Shoemaker families were in the same general
area of east Tennessee during the late 1700's and early 1800's.

Blackley and David Shoemake were listed in a petition
in Anderson County in 1805. Also, Blackley, Jr., obtained a survey of
37 acres on the Beaverdam fork of New River on May 15, 1808 This David
could well be the David found in Chesterfield Country, SC in 1800.

A reference to William Shoemake appears in Roane
County, Tennessee records in 1801. He and James Shoemaker were
among the petioner signers to create Roane County out of Knox County.
Again, William Shoemaker was listed in the tax records of Roane County
in 1802 along with Evan Shoemaker. In 1805 William and James were on
the tax lists.

On August 17, 1814 in Roane County, William Shoemaker
and Benjamin Poore were sworn chain carriers in the survey of 2 acres
of land for Moses Shoemaker located on on the Crooked Fork of Emery
River on the south side fork and "includes the house where William
Shoemaker lives." This is now in Morgan County.

The Roane County marriage records contain an entry for
Nancy Shoemaker to Benjamin Poore on June 9, 1814. Surety was Moses
Shoemaker. Moses Shoemaker married Martha Williams on December 28,
1814. Surety was Benjamin Poore. (Could this Moses be the Moses who
disappears from the Chesterfield County, S.C. census roll in 1820? I
do not know)

Robert Shewmaker sued William Davis in Anderson
County in the early 1800's.

In 1807 John Shumak (apparently John, Jr the son
of John Shoemake, Sr. [I], of Chesterfield County, S.C. who appeared
on the census roll in 1800). had filed a petition to build
a grist mill in Roane County. On June 8,1808 John Shoemaker was
a sworn chain carrier for the survey of James Wakefield's 100 acres
in Roane County between Clinch and Emory Rivers. John and Moses Shoemaker
were assigned 50 acres by William Shoemaker on Crooked Fork of Emory
River on May 2, 1814. John Shoemaker was taxed on 25 acres as was Moses
Shoemaker in 1814. In 1815 John Shoemaker was a member of the grand
jury.

The records of Anderson, Roane and Knox counties in Tennessee
contain more references to Shoemake/Shoemaker. In 1804, Thomas
Shoemaker failed to pay his poll tax..

James Shoemaker married Sary Streat on December
7, 1801. On September 18, 1806 James Shoemaker sued William Henery for
tresspass in the amount of $200. The suit was later dismissed.

David Shoemaker, Thomas Aldred and William Harris
were defendants in a court case in Anderson County in 1804. Mrs. Strong
states that this David may be the same David that appeared in the 1800
Federal Census of Chesterfield County, S.C. who was living near Samuel,
Moses and John.

Evan Shoemaker married Eve Elliott in Knox County
on April 19, 1802. We find that Evins Shoemaker bought two tracts of
Land from Cincinnati Land Office in 1812 and 1813, both located in Wayne
County, near Centerville, Indiana. The 1820 Federal Census of Wayne
County, lists Evan Shoemaker living in Centerville over 45 years of
age. Eve Shoemaker and Henry Shoemaker were appointed administrators
of Evan's estate on May 17, 1821.

At this time, I would like to look at the records of Bledsoe
County, Tennessee. It is said that Bledsoe County came off of Roane
County in 1807. (Roane County and Anderson County were formed out of
Knox County in 1801). There are no early census for East Tennessee.
It is said they were destroyed in a fire. So we look to other records
such as the tax lists and court records.

The Roane county taxlist for 1805 shows a James Shoemaker
living there (The Shoemaker Pioneers by Benjamin H. Shoemaker
3rd.) In 1807 this would be Bledsoe County. There was a James Shoemaker
in this general area who married a woman by the name of Street.
It is believed that this James moved to Perry County, Tennessee.

NOTATION:

At the time of this writing, December, 19, 1998, I do
not have sufficient records to show who was a son of whom. However,
through reasoning, and following the location of certain Shoemake males,
along with information gathered from members of the Shoemake Family,
we can make some identifications.

Observation 1. Let's begin with Blackley Shoemake.
In 1790, according to Federal Census of Chesterfield County, S.C., page
378 he had in his household:

2 males 16 years and older
1 male under 16 years of age
5 females
*He was living near Lucy Shoemake
**(See Our Shoemake Roots)

Observation 2.

In the 1800 Federal Census of Chesterfield County,
Blackley is not found, but records found in Knox County, Tennessee,
1799, show him living in that county and signing a pitition. The following
Shoemake names appear on that document:
(a) Blackley, Shoemake
(b) Robert, and
(c) William. Shoemaker
*What appears to be a bit of confusion, there is a Robert and William
appearing in Alabama who were born in 1806, 1815. Therefore, I can not
reason the Robert and William of 1799 in Knox county are the same as
those in Alabama. Those in Alabama were not born at that time. Observation
3. Legal documents of Knox County, Tennessee show the following Shoemake
males to be living there:
(a) In 1801. A James Shoemaker married Sary Street.
(b) In 1804, there was a Thomas Shoemaker.

This could prove to be the husband of Hannah who appears later in Bledsoe
County. This county was once a part of Knox County.

(c) In 1814, there was a John and Moses who were
assigned 50 acres of land by a William Shoemaker. (John's name
appears as John Shumak).

(d) In 1814 (on June 9) Moses received 2 acres of land
in Roane County

(e) In 1807 John Shumak (apparently John Jr. the
son of John Shoemake, Sr. [I], of Chesterfield County, S.C. that
appeared on the census roll in 1800), filed a petition to build a grist
mill in Roane County, Tennessee. This John could not be John Fletcher,
for John F., was born in 1795 and would hardly be old enough to build
a grist mill. However, this John could well be the father of John Fletcher.

(f) Roane County, Tennessee is situated South West
of Knox County. Bledsoe County was formed from Roane County on November
30, 1807. A John Shoemake bought land on Walton's Ridge in 1825
in Bledsoe County, Tennessee. This could have been John Fletcher,
but there is no evidence in my hand at this time.

The 1830 Census of Jackson County Alabama shows
a John Shoemake living in that county. If I had to draw a conclusion,
I would conclude that the John in Jackson County, Alabama was John Jr.,
and the John in Bledsoe County, Tennessee was John Fletcher the
son of John Jr., and was later living in Marion County.

Observation 4.

Therefore, I reason that this John who bought the land
on Walden's Ridge in Bledsoe County, Tennessee. could be John Fletcher.
I offer the following reason: the spelling of his name when filing a
pitition for building a grist mill.was "Shumak." The name
"Shumak" is more likely to be Shoemake rather than Shoemaker.
It is believed that John Fletcher's father, the John who appeared in
Knox County moved on to Jackson County, Alabama where he appeared on
the census list in 1830. Observation 5. Having had the opportunity to
talk with Richard Arthur Shoemake in 1980 who was living in Jackson
County, Alabama, he told me that his ancestors who lived Bledsoe and
Marion Counties, Tennessee, sold their land and built house boats and
traveled down the river to Jackson County, Alabama. He was well up in
years when I spoke to him. This leads me to believe that this same John
Shoemake, Jr., travelled on to Jackson County, Alabama where he was
living in 1830. He was recorded being 84 years of age in the 1850 census.

Land Records

The four Shoemake brothers, Blackley. John, Moses and Samuel [ II
], all decendants from Samuel Shoemake, Sr [ I ] who was a decendant
from John de la Chaumette received land grants in South Carolina.
You may view other grants and surveys by going back to the home page
and clicking on Land Documents listed under photos: